BOYS BASKETBALL: Murrieta Valley falls in Nighthawk Classic final

MURRIETA ----- Losing the team’s top three scorers from 2011-12 didn’t seem to affect the Murrieta Valley boys basketball team in its first seven games.

The Nighthawks strung together six consecutive wins following a four-point loss to Citrus Hill in the season opener and were showing they were still worthy of being considered the best team in the Valley.

Saturday night Murrieta Valley (6-2) got humbled as Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (6-2) spoiled the hosts’ party with a 55-37 victory in the finals of the Nighthawk Classic.

The Mustangs took a commanding 37-14 lead into halftime behind a suffocating defensive effort that didn’t allow the Nighthawks many high-percentage shots. The only two Nighthawks field goals in the first quarter were three-pointers.

Murrieta Valley has trotted out a lineup of five juniors this season so some growing pains were to be expected. Coach Steve Tarabilda felt Rancho Verde’s high level of play would teach his young team the standard that is needed to defeat tough competition.

“This is hopefully not going to make us take two steps back, but at the same time, it's a lesson well learned,” Tarabilda said. “So when you get to league or you get to the playoffs, you know what you gotta get done. We haven't had to face this year yet.”

After playing eight tournament games in a 12-day span, the Nighthawks have nine days of rest before they host Paloma Valley on Dec. 18. Murrieta Valley is also expecting senior captain Talon Watkins back. Watkins has yet to play due to injury.

“We are going to practice with the idea that that's the team we gotta play at some point in time,” Tarabilda said.

One of the encouraging aspects of Saturday night’s defeat was Murrieta Valley’s inspired second-half performance when they could have easily played nonchalantly. The Nighthawks went on a 23-9 run after halftime and remarkably reduced the Mustangs’ lead to single-digits as they led 46-37 with 5:08 left to play.

“That is indicative of a Murrieta Valley team coached by those particular guys,” Rancho Verde coach Yancy Dodson said. “They never quit. They play hard. They are going to keep coming at you for a full 32 minutes.”

Kevin Padlo is one of the team’s high effort players that hustles and fights for every ball. The 6-foot-2 junior scored seven points and had a team-high five rebounds.

Padlo, along with guard Mitchell Lenhart, was named to the all-tournament team for his efforts in four games throughout the week.

“It's pretty cool to me because I have never really had an accomplishment like that,” Padlo said. “I give the credit to my teammates. They get the ball to me.”

Two years ago, the Nighthawks swept through the Southwestern League schedule (10-0) by beating every opponent by a double-digit margin. Last year seven of Murrieta Valley’s nine league wins were by double-digits.

This season the greener Nighthawks are expecting to be embroiled in close games as they seek their third straight league title.

“I think we are just going to have to be a gut it out team,” Padlo said. “Win close games and whenever we get the opportunity, just jump on it and win the game.”